Unit 6

Disaster
A disaster is defined as a sudden event or calamity that causes large-
scale damage and destruction of human life and property.

Types of Disasters
Natural Disasters

•Air-related – Hurricanes, cyclones, storms, etc.

•Water-related – Floods, drought, etc.
• Earth-related – Earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, etc.

Man-made Disasters

•Industrial accidents
•Wars, riots, terrorism, etc.
•Toxic spills
•Transportation accidents
 Earthquake

An earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the Earth, resulting

from the sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that
creates seismic waves.

Causes of Earthquake

•Tectonic stress generated by movement of tectonic plates

•Movement of hot gases and magma

•Volcanic activities, landslides, mine blast and nuclear test

•Stress buildup due to water pressure (construction of big dams)

Fault lines are the areas where two or more tectonic plates join, and
it's in these areas most earthquakes occur.

Earth’s major tectonic plates

• Intensity or magnitude of earthquake: 1-10 on Richter
scale by seismomster/Seismograph.
• It should be understood that Richter scale is a
logarithmic scale. What this means is an earthquake
measuring 6.0 is 10 times more powerful than an
earthquake measuring 5.0

• > 5.5 intensity: Strong

• > 6.2: Destructive
• >7 : Disastrous
• > 8.1: Catastrophic
Earthquake-like seismic waves can also be caused by
explosions underground. These explosions may be set off
to break rock while making tunnels for roads, railroads,
subways, or mines. These explosions, however, don't
cause very strong seismic waves. You may not even feel
them. Sometimes seismic waves occur when the roof or
walls of a mine collapse. These can sometimes be felt by
people near the mine. The largest underground
explosions, from tests of nuclear warheads (bombs), can
create seismic waves very much like large earthquakes.
This fact has been exploited as a means to enforce the
global nuclear test ban, because no nuclear warhead can
be
Somedetonated on earth
earthquakes without
might producing
be caused such seismic
by activity above
waves.
the surface. For example in a mountainous region, there
might be a heavy landslide. Due to a huge mass of land
falling, at the point of the fall, there could be a minor
shaking of earth, due the impact of fall. However,
usually, such earthquakes are not very major.
Effects of Earthquake
 Large-scale damage to life and property
 Destruction and demolition of buildings, dams, etc.
 Increased incidence of fire, landslides, etc.
 Increased incidence of tsunami waves, leading to
inundation(flooding) in coastal areas
 Management of Earthquakes
•Marking earthquake-sensitive areas and avoiding the earthquake zones for
settlement and construction of developmental structures

•Construction of houses, factories, dams, bridges, etc., with appropriate anti-

earthquake designs and materials and strategically placed vibration absorbers

•Forecast or early prediction of earthquakes and early warning systems to

reduce damage of life and properties

•Creating public awareness (earthquake drills) regarding the steps to be taken

during emergencies

•Relief measures through timely support by individuals, government, and

non-governmental organizations
 Landslides
Landslides are natural phenomena during which large amounts of
landmass slide downwards from hilly areas, mainly because of gravity,
destroying everything lying in the path.
Causes of Landslides
•Earthquakes

•Rapid melting of ice

•Torrential rain and floods

•Construction of dams, bridges, tunnels, roads, etc

•Use of explosives for breaking rocks during mining

•Deforestation of mountain slopes

•Volcanic eruptions
•Ground water changes
Effects of Landslides
• Rocks, large debris, and sliding landmasses destroy urban and rural habitation

• Damage to roads, dams, bridges, etc.

• Obstruction of river flow increasing the incidence of flood

• Severe damage to crops and agricultural lands

Management of Landslides

• Construction activities should be done only after properly evaluating the geological
and geographic conditions i.e Landslide hazard, vulnerability, and risk assessment- .

• Regulating rate of water flow also helps in controlling landslides.

• Agriculture at slopes should be avoided as far as possible and other human activities
in landslide zones should be avoided.

• Reforest the denuded areas

• Relief task through economic help supporting resettlement and rehabilitation

of affected people at individual, community, and organizational levels should be
carried out.
 Floods
The accumulation of a large quantity of water at a place or the presence of
more water than can be handled by the drainage of the area is known as
flood.
Types of Floods
•Flash floods
•River floods
•Coastal floods
Causes of Floods
•Deforestation
•Urban drainage basin
•Change in river course
•Overflowing rivers
•Broken dams
•Man-made activities in river channels
•Heavy rainfall
•Storm surges and Tsunami
•Melting of snow or ice
Effects of Floods
•Damage to agricultural crops
•Damage to life and property
•Disturbances in transportation
•Increase in populations of disease vectors and pathogens
•Loss of biodiversity
•Economic crisis
Control of Floods
• Soil and water conservation techniques-Plantation on slopes
• Drainage management
• Flood plain zoning and flood proofing
• Installation of Flood forecasting and disaster management systems
• Construction of flood walls and levees (embankments) along the
sides of the river
• Construction of diversion channels and flood-ways
• Construction of dam reservoirs for storing monsoon flows
 Cyclone

In meteorology, a cyclone is a large scale air mass that rotates

around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure. Cyclones
are characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate about a
zone of low pressure.
Tropical Cyclones (TC) are intense low pressure systems that develop over the
seas or oceans in the tropical and subtropical regions.
The IMD says, “A tropical cyclone is an intense low pressure area or a whirl in the
atmosphere over tropical or sub-tropical waters, with organised convection (i.e.
thunderstorm activity) and winds at low levels, circulating either anti-clockwise
(in the northern hemisphere) or clockwise (in the southern hemisphere)”.
According to modern convention, a Cyclone that forms over the Indian Ocean is
referred to as Cyclone, but is called Hurricane if it forms over the Atlantic Ocean
and Typhoon if it forms over the Pacific Ocean.
 Cyclones
Effects of Cyclones
•They damage installations,
communication systems, trees,
etc., resulting in loss of life and
property.
•Destroys ecosystem
• They may cause river floods and
submergence of low-lying areas.
• Cyclones generate storm
surges
• May cause landslides
• They pollute drinking water
sources causing outbreak of
epidemics
Management of Cyclones

•Forecasting

•Proper construction of houses and Construction of cyclone shelters in the

cyclone-prone areas

•Relief tasks

•Development of warning systems

•Community preparedness at all levels to deal with emergency situations

Video Links

Disaster management
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt-C8WCIWrg

Earthquake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HKx8b_yc50

Cyclone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AAG4HEsgMQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6SQbSmvzQM

Landslides
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/101-videos/landslides
Industrial accident is an example of
a. Man-made Disasters
b. Natural disaster
c. (a) and (b) both
d. None of these

Which of the following is the type of Floods

Coastal
Hydrological
Agricultural
Meteorological

Natural phenomena during which large amounts of landmass slide downwards from hilly areas is known as
Earthquake
Landslides
Flood
Hurricanes

Hurricanes is an example of -------------- related natural disaster

Water
Air
Earth
All of the above

Flood is an example of -------------- related natural disaster

Water
Air
Earth
All of the above
 Population Growth
The increase in the number of individuals in a population is known
as population growth.
In earlier civilisation population control was there due to
droughts, epidemics etc. In the 14th century 50% of the
population in Asia and Europe were killed due to outbreak of
plague.

Owing to scientific and technological development , people are

not well equipped to adapt to difficult environmental conditions
and tremendous growth of medical sciences has lead to
increased life expectancy.
The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to 7.616
billion in 2018. The world population will grow to nearly 10 billion by
the middle of this century, and will level off at around 11.2 billion by
the end of it. Exerting huge pressure on the resources and leading
towards a global environmental crisis.

As a result of rapid growth in population majority of people live

in undesirable conditions devoid of basic facilities such as
sanitation, education, health facilities etc.
Asia is the most populous continent, with its 4.54 billion inhabitants accounting for 60% of
the world population. The world's two most populated countries, China and India, together
constitute about 36% of the world's population.
Africa is the second most populated continent, with around 1.28 billion people, or 16% of
the world's population.
Europe's 742 million people make up 10% of the world's population as of 2018, while the
Latin American and Caribbean regions are home to around 651 million (9%).
Northern America, primarily consisting of the United States and Canada, has a population of
around 363 million (5%), and
Oceania, the least populated region, has about 41 million inhabitants (0.5%).
It took over 200,000 years of human history for the world's population to reach 1 billion;[2]
and only 200 years more to reach 7 billion.
 Understanding Population Patterns

The study of the trends in human population or human population

statistics is called demography. Three main factors decide the
increase or decrease in population.

Birth rate (Natality rate)- It is defined as number of births per

thousand people in a geographical area. Or the total number of live
births per 1,000 in a population in a year.
 Birth rate is decline on an average. This level varies among
developing and developed countries.
Death rate (mortality rate)- It is defined as number of deaths
per thousand people in a geographical area. 0r number of deaths
per 1000 in a population in a year.
 The advancement in the field of medicines have resulted in
lesser no. of deaths leading to lower in death rate. This rate can
change unexpectedly due to diseases, wars and other
catastrophes.
The average global birth rate is 18.5 births per 1,000 total population
in 2016. The death rate is 7.8 per 1,000 per year.

Migration rate- It is defined as the rate of population change for a

specific area which is also affected by the movement of people into
and out of the area.
 Many developed countries of the world are experiencing an
increase in population because of the continuing arrival of
immigrants, people from developing countries to find better
job.
Causes of Population Growth

 Poverty

 Illiteracy

 Conquest of diseases

 Improvement in Public
sanitation

 Preference for male child

 Custom of early marriages

 Improvement in Public Health

 Conquest of diseases
Population has shown a remarkable increase during the past few
decades.
Advancement in medical facilities.
Awareness about nutrition, vaccinations, better health practices.
 Improvement in Public sanitation

Public sanitation has been increased.

Intensity of epidemic diseases such as cholera, typhoid,

dysentery has been lowered due to awareness, availability of
clean water and better sanitation.

Before 1990, less than 50% of population had access to safe

drinking water but after wards it is increased to 75%.
Poverty
More children means more hands to work, more earning. But due
to lack of money, no proper education, no awareness of various
family planning measures.

Preference for sons

Due to illiteracy and old traditions, in many families the desire of
son and often more sons results in more children. Another reason
that encourage people for sons over daughters is the prevalence of
the dowry system.
Early marriages
Early marriages, marriage of young children before they attended
a marriageable age leads to more children

Illiteracy
Lack of awareness of family planning measures, they have no
access to information regarding family planning and hence
largely involve in growth of population.
 Significances of Population Growth

 Increase in population has lead to several socio-economic

problems.
 Population growth affects the natural resource availability. It
causes increased demand for food, water, arable land and other
essential materials, such as firewood. Excessive exploitation of
natural resources causing ecological imbalance in nature.
 More deforestation activities arising to meet the requirements of
fuel wood, agriculture, settlement and also for industrial
establishments. The indiscriminate cutting of trees for
agricultural expansion and timber products has lead to the
degradation of watersheds affecting the water catchment areas.
 Due to population pressure, water resources are exploited more
for various uses including domestic, livestock and industrial use.
 Unemployment problems of serious dimension both in urban
and rural areas leading to reduced per capita earning, poverty,
etc.

 Hunger deaths - because of reduced per capita food availability

and poor distribution of food.

 Acute shortage of medical facilities including qualified doctors,

medicines, dispensaries, modern health care facilities etc. due to
high population.

 Shortage of education facilities including schools, colleges,

qualified teachers.

 Serious shortage of power and problems connected with its

distribution, Increased inflation.
 Increased borrowings from international organisations.

 Reduced care of young ones leading to increased child health

problems as well as vulnerability of children to many diseases.

 Reduced health care to mothers.

 Difficulties encountered in implementation of all national and

state developmental programmes.

 Increased government expenditure.

 Increased density of population.

 Resettlement and Rehabilitation

Reasons for Displacement of Human Habitation

Natural hazards – Earthquakes, cyclones, landslides, floods, drought,

volcanic eruptions, and epidemic diseases

Anthropogenic factors – Developmental activities such as construction

of dams, roads, tunnels, etc., which increase the risks of calamities
such as floods and landslides. Other factors include accumulation of
wastes and environmental pollution
 Problems Faced by Displaced People

•The compensation for the lost land is often not paid or the payment is
delayed.

•Basic infrastructure and amenities are not provided in the new area.

•Very often, temporary camps become permanent settlements.

•Ethnic and caste differences make it difficult for the refugees to live
peacefully with the communities already living in the area.
1. population growth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTznEIZRkLg

2. resettlement and rehabilitation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJlbdAgoxec

3. Global growth vs human health: finding the balance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul4alU7P4tU
Illiteracy, Ignorance, Economic reasons are issues involved in
(a) Enforcement of environmental legislation
(b) Air (Prevention and control of pollution) Act
(c) Act Wild life Protection
(d) None of these

What will you call the rate of change in population for a

specific area which is affected by the movement of people into and out of the area?
(a) Migration
(b) Defection
(c) Departure
(d) Moving abroad

What is the effect of the improvement in medical facilities and cure for
dreaded diseases, on population growth?
(a) Decrease in birth rate hence decrease in population
(b) Decrease in death rate hence increase in population
(c) Increase in death rate hence decrease in population
(d)No effect observed on population growth
Which of the following is correct for the birth rate in a geographical area?
(a) Number of births per hundred people
(b) Number of births per thousand people
(c) Total number of births in a month
(d) Total number of births in a year

Number of death per thousand people in a geographical area is known as …

(a) Death zone
(b) Death rate
(c)Deaths per people
(d) Total death
 MOVEMENTS

 Silent Valley

 The story of Chipko

 Bishnois of Rajasthan
The story of Chipko: The women who saved the trees
 The first Chipko action took place spontaneously
in April 1973 in the village of Mandal in the
upper Alakananda valley and over the next five
years spread to many districts of the Himalayas
in Uttar Pradesh.
 It was sparked off by the government's decision
to allot a plot of forest area in the Alaknanda
valley to a sports goods company. This angered
the villagers because their similar demand to
use wood for making agricultural tools had been
earlier denied. With encouragement from a local
NGO (non-governmental organization), DGSS
(Dasoli Gram Swarajya Sangh), the women of
the area, under the leadership of an activist,
Chandi Prasad Bhatt, went into the forest and
formed a circle around the trees preventing the
men from cutting them down.
Mr Sunderlal Bahuguna, a Gandhian activist and philosopher,
whose appeal to Mrs Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of
India, resulted in the green-felling ban. Mr Bahuguna coined the
Chipko slogan: 'ecology is permanent economy'. Mr Chandi
Prasad Bhatt, is another leader of the Chipko movement. He
encouraged the development of local industries based on the
conservation and sustainable use of forest wealth for local
benefit.
The Chipko protests in Uttar Pradesh achieved a major victory in
1980 with a 15-year ban on green felling in the Himalayan
forests of that state by the order of Mrs Indira Gandhi, the then
Prime Minister of India.
 Silent Valley

Silent Valley National Park is a national park with a core zone of

236.74 square kilometers (making it the largest national park in
Kerala). It is a tropical evergreen forest located in the Nilgiri Hills,
within the Palakkad District of Kerala, India.
NOTE:
1970: the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) proposes a
hydroelectric dam across the Kunthipuzha River that runs through
Silent Valley, that will submerge 8.3 sq km of untouched moist
evergreen forest.
Plans for a hydroelectric project that threatened the
park's rich wildlife stimulated an environmentalist social
movement in the 1970s, known as the Save Silent
Valley movement, which resulted in cancellation of the project and
creation of the park in 1980.
 Bishnoi’s of Rajasthan
Bishnoi is a religious group found in the Western Thar Desert of
India, the desert overlaps areas of Punjab, and Sindh in
Pakistan.

 The name is derived from bis (twenty) and nai (nine) i.e.
followers of 29 principles given by Guru Jambheshwar.

 Guru Jambheshwar gave the message to protect trees and

wildlife around 540 years ago, prophesying that harming the
environment means harming yourself.

 Amrita Devi sacrificed her life along with her three

daughters viz. Asu, Ratni and Bhagu in year 1730 to save
green trees being felled by the Maharaja of Jodhpur at a place
known as Khejarli in Marwar, Rajasthan. Along with her
more than 363 other Bishnois, died saving the Khejri
 Environmental Ethics

Creating a moral sense of environmental conservation in each person

is called environmental ethics.
The Contrasting Views

 Utilitarian justification (also known as individualistic ethics): They

believe in exploiting natural resources for economic prosperity.
 They know the price of everything but value of nothing.

 Ecological justification (also known as moral justification): All

living organism have equal right of equal respect. (Impossible to do
that)

Environmental Equity and Priority Principle

Always respect nature except in cases where strong human rights are at
stake
Possible solutions

One should respect the power of environment and apply it for

the benefit of humankind.

One should place the highest priority on health, safety, and the
environmental protection while using environmental products.

One should be sensitive to ethical and social issues regarding

the environment.
 Role of an Individual in Conservation of Natural Resources
 Energy Conservation
Switch off electric lights and appliances whenever not needed
Ride a bicycle as often as possible

 Forest Conservation
Plant a large number of trees
Make equitable use of forest and forest products

 Water Conservation
Repair leakages
Save water in agriculture and domestic activities
Adopt rainwater harvesting techniques

 Land Conservation
Do not dump agricultural, industrial, and domestic waste on land

 Sustainable Food
Adopt vegetarian food habits .
Use unpackaged food items such as vegetables and dry beans instead of canned
or packaged food
 Need for Public Awareness

Human life is affected directly and indirectly by the changes that

occur in the environment. Therefore, it is essential to be familiar
with different environmental problems. For active participation of
all citizens of the world, public awareness is important. (It’s
beyond the capacity of an individual to protect environment)
Objectives

The following are the main objectives of creating environmental

public awareness:

 To identify various plants, animals, and other living and non-

living components of the environment that are endangered by
human activities.
 To take appropriate decisions regarding use of natural
resources.
 To conserve nature and natural resources for the betterment of
the society from the point of view of social, cultural, and
economic development.
 To adopt appropriate measures for solving existing
environmental issues.
 Methods of Public Awareness
The following methods may be used for propagating public awareness regarding the
environment:

Formal Method

Introducing Environmental Education in Schools and colleges

Informal Method

 Mass Media (newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, etc.)

 Seminars and conferences
 Competitions
 Entertainment (folk songs, street plays, etc.)
 Science centres
 International co-operation